American workers’ opinion on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts have soured over the last year, according to a survey.
A Pew Research study found that the share of American workers who believe DEI is a “good thing” has dropped from 56 percent in February 2023 to 52 percent in October 2024. Twenty-one percent of U.S. workers believe that DEI is a “bad thing,” a five percent increase from February 2023.
In another poll, Pew Research found that 36 percent of Americans believe DEI hurts white men, with 14 percent saying it helps them. More Americans believe that DEI practices help black, Hispanic, and Asian men and women, and white women.
Pew Research wrote that the question of whether or not DEI helps falls on political and ethnic lines:
As was the case in 2023, women, Democrats, and Black, Hispanic and Asian workers are among the groups most likely to say focusing on increasing DEI in the workplace is a good thing.
Republicans and men continue to be among the groups of workers most likely to see DEI efforts as a bad thing, and their views have become more negative since last year.
Forty-two percent of Republican and GOP-leaning workers believe DEI is a bad thing, which is up from 30 percent in 2023.
American workers also believe that their respective company pays too much attention (19 percent) to DEI, which is a four percent increase since February 2023.
Recent polling has found that Americans are increasingly shunning corporations that have a political bent.
A Rasmussen poll found in July that 48 percent of Americans believe DEI programs discriminate against white men, and a Gallup survey revealed in August that Americans have become increasingly tired of corporations that weigh in on current events in politics.
Rep. French Hill (R-AR) told Breitbart News recently that corporations have ditched DEI and other “woke” policies after ten years of pressure from congressional Republicans and Trump’s campaigns to depoliticize American corporations.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.